The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp
by blackkeysandwhitelines
Summary: What happens when Alice leaves, Tarrant is completely BONKERS, and something still connects the two friends? Was Aunt Imogene's story just a story? The old teapots may very well bring the two back where they belong.
1. Chapter 1: Earl Grey

The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp

**AN: Hello readers! This is my first Alice story, but I will make the author note short and sweet! I will go back and forth between Alice and Tarrant SO you will have to read thoroughly! Furthermore, I request five reviews before I post the next chapter! Feel free to critique away! MUCH love, MJ**

**Disclaimer: I do not own AiW at all, but the teapot concept it solely mine and so are the tea fueled rages!;) **

Chapter 1: Earl Grey

Tarrant watched as Alice slowly faded from his world and back into the boring and mundane world from she once came. She could have stayed, she SHOULD have stayed, but she didn't and this just left Tarrant MAD. Not the sort of fun mad, but the absolutely enraged, livid, COMPLETELY BONKERS, mad. Tarrant began to pick up stones and other rubble left over from the battle and began to heave the remains everywhere his strength would permit. He was mad, angry that ALICE would dare leave him. She was his tea companion, his riddler, and more importantly HIS Alice. A new feeling began to arise in his chest making the infuriated Hatter become even angrier. The forceful throwing began to become more vigorous the stones began to hit innocent bystanders of the Hatter's rage. Mirana began to slowly approach her irate friend with decorum and caution.

"Tarrant, you must calm down. Alice needs to solve her own riddles in her world. You must give her time, and she will be in Under-" The gentle Queen was cut off by her once happy go lucky friend.

"Ah don want chur PITY, you snargfilly centifly! Tha lass is not comin' a'back! NOW leave me before ya loose yer head!" Tarrant snarled in his deep brogue, he was enraged that Mirana DARE to rationalize to him why that girl would leave him. Tarrant did not care WHO he insulted and he had enough of the shocked atmosphere he was in.

The Hatter began to curse in his deep accent again as he retreated the scene, stumbling to make his way back to his tea table. He trudged back cursing everything in the world he lived in, and as the insults began to fly from his lips so did the rain from the covering clouds. The rain poured all over the Hatter as he found his tea table.

Tarrant began to destroy every element of _that girl_ that remained. Teacups smashed against unsuspecting trees and tablecloths ripped into shreds. Tarrant went to grab another teapot to smash into anything when a familiar smile appeared above his hand. The cat's body appearated, and that's when the Hatter spoke "what du you wan ya blasted cat? Ya betta leave unless ya wan to end up sliced like ma tablecloth!" Tarrant threatened. The cat's expression remained unfazed as he nonchalantly said "If I were you I wouldn't smash THAT teapot. It may be important later, well unless you ever want to see Alice…" The Hatter quickly intervened by throwing the teapot straight at the cat.

The cat caught the teapot and set it on the ground and then disappearing from the hostile scene. Tarrant was past the point of no return once the cat had the audacity to say HER name. The only thing that slightly soothed the Hatter's anger was the recognition of the now chipped teapot. It was blue, but not the blue of sadness. It was the beautiful blue, the one that described her. Tarrant now recognized it. The first time that beautiful specimen of a teapot was introduced to him was when he first met _that girl_. She was so small and had brought nothing with her, no books, or tea, but the only thing she had was a teapot delicately placed in the ivory hands.

She had given it to him, and told him thank you for the lovely tea. The beautiful little girl kissed him on the cheek and then left him. Every time that lass, so full of muchness, came to visit she would query about the teapot which had the highest place of honor at his table. The memories Tarrant began to recollect on, began to create sharp pains in his heart…so sharp that he began to convulse in pain, and our dear Hatter passed out in the pouring rain with the teapot gripped in his hands.

**~o.O.o.~**

Many days had passed as Alice Kingsleigh made her way through the dull streets of England. She had rejected Hamish's proposal of marriage, and now had to fend off her mother's disapproval. Alice wanted to open new trading routes in her father's company, and think about maddening business adventures not some silly boy's stomach problems. Alice skipped over the puddles in the cobble stone street as she quickly made her way to her Aunt Imogene's auction. Her Aunt had died just a week ago after she refused Hamish and she had requested that all of her thing be sold.

Many say that Aunt Imogene died of her madness, but Alice knows better her Aunt had told her why she was what her world called 'mad'.

_It was a fond day in London, England perfect for an afternoon picnic in the backyard of her Aunt's house. Aunt Imogene brought a various assortment of sweets that were unknown to Alice but tasted sweeter than anything to grace her lips. Aunt Imogene began to ask Alice all sorts of riddles that Alice found most pondersome. Then Alice saw it. The beautiful teapot. It was blue, a very light blue, and it positively glistened in the sunlight. Aunt Imogene saw that it caught Alice's eye and commented on it. "Ahhh, I see that you have found my teapot, dear." Alice nodded to her Aunt who examined the little girl's assessment of the pot. "Has anyone told you the story of little girl blue and Her lover the milliner?" The Aunt asked. The blonde shook her head as her began to look at her Aunt inquisitively. "Well you see this teapot has what everyone would call a 'twin', but I know better to call it, its rightful name. That teapot has a lover. A long time ago there was a young woman no more than twenty that met this man in a little hat shop outside her town. Once the two met they fell madly in love, but had to keep their love a secret because the woman was promised to wed the king of the land. The two would have late night tea parties, and spend hours together before the young woman had to have morning tea with the king. One day the king asked the woman if she had anything her heart desired. The woman could not say a milliner because he would surely pay for it with his life, but she wanted to always remember her fond late night tea. So, she asked the king if he would give her a beautiful teapot that she could have forever. The king happily obliged and had the best crafters create a most beautiful teapot. When the day came to pick the teapot for the soon to be queen, the artists and the teapots were presented upon a table before the fair lass._

_Hundreds and hundreds of teapots were presented before the lady but only one stood out. The teapot was blue and looked as though someone had captured the sky on the pot. The lady asked to see the creator of such a wonderful piece of art and when the potter arose she met eyes with her lover the milliner. "What was your inspiration for this teapot? It looks too simple." The King asked as he snorted about the design. "Well you see Milord, I have a lass that I have met many times now and she is the most beautiful in all the land. Day and night we spend together under the sky. That sky protects us, it shields us from danger and captures our memories. That sky is as beautiful as she, so I wanted to craft something to know for her to know of my love for her." The Milliner said not breaking eye contact from his love. "I see.. does this teapot please you my love?" The king asked looking at his future bride. The lady smiled and nodded trying not to let too much emotion play across her face. But not all was well in the land. As the fair lady, and the milliner began to meet someone followed the two lovers and they were caught. The King had immediately cast the poor milliner into the gallows. _

_The fair lady married the king and spent much of her time in the forest she once loved. And one day as she was walking back towards the castle she passed the rubble of the milliner's old shop. The slight glimmer of porcelain caught the Queen's eye. The moved past what was left of the charred rubble to find a teapot. That looked like her dear lover the Hatter. The top of the teapot was a hat and the body of the pot looked like many pins, needles, and various fabrics. The most peculiar thing about the pot was what lay inside it. The Queen found a small piece of paper rolled inside that said: "Where roses may be red and violets blue, I shall forever love you my queen, my love, protected by the sky of blue." The Queen brought the teapot back with her to the castle and it remained by her side until she died." Aunt Imogene finished her story when she soon heard her sister calling for her daughter's leave. "Thank you for the story Aunt Imogene" Alice said as she began to leave. "What story love?(AN: she's mad;) remember) And here it seems that little girl blue needs a new home take it." Aunt Imogene gave the small girl her teapot. Alice then knew it wasn't madness that made her Aunt mad, but one of a broken heart._

Alice broke out of her fond memory as she approached the auction. The young lady took her place in one of the many chairs set up. There was a fairly large crowd at the house and the auction began. There were various pieces of furniture that was richly decorated, but the only piece that Alice took any interest in was a teapot…It was the lover of the other teapot and it looked exactly as her Aunt had described it. No one else bid on it they were so quick to cast the lovely piece aside, so Alice received the new beautiful pot and after the auction ended she quickly retreated to her flat to avoid any family members (particularly her mother). Alice cleaned the 'milliner teapot' and set it delicately on her dresser. It was just as beautiful as her Aunt described it. Curiosity got the best of the dear girl and she ventured to look inside the teapot to find a familiar thimble in her teapot. "What a peculiar place to put a thimble" Alice said aloud as she examined it more thoroughly. She took out the thimble and recognized it belonged to none other than Tarrant Hightopp. She knew then that Underland was closer than she thought.


	2. Chapter 2: Oolong

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

**AN: **Important DO NOT skip!** Because you wonderful readers are so wonderful…I am updating chapter two! Here are just a few things to tell y'all!**

**1: Pay close attention to the Ch. Names, I did that just for you!;)  
>2: Since someone commented on the vaguity of the story here's the short of it: that was Aunt Imogene telling about her past romance, it was just a little more elaborate. I also used foreshadowing AND symbolism..But it's up to you to decide.<br>3: Thank you so much for reviewing and reading! You don't know how much it means to me! Keep on doing it!:D Much Love, MJ**

**Disclaimer: I do not own AiW at all, but the teapot concept it solely mine and so are the tea fueled rages!;) **

Chapter 2: Oolong

"Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company." –Source Unknown

There Tarrant Hightopp lay in what is now a dried pit of mud and grass. The groggy Hatter grumbled at the sun's willingness to rise early as he arose from his grassy bed. Tarrant attempted to wipe the now caked mud off of his face, but to no avail it remained stuck to his face. The man then began to examine himself. Blood mixed with mud covered his hands and his index finger was now missing a thimble, the beloved tea table now smashed and broken, and the blue teapot gently perched between his hands. Tarrant had half a maddened mind to smash the blasted thing with all the other tea ware, but the only thing that kept the madman from doing so was Chessur's peculiar warning.

The Hatter grumbled to himself once more thinking how he KNEW he would regret taking heed to the warning and keep the pot. Tarrant slowly got up with the teapot in hand making his way to what was left of his darling table. The pains in the man's chest had ceased which the Hatter was thankful for, but his whole body ached from its previous activities. Tarrant found that maybe some tea would do him good so he rummaged around the debris to find a tea bag.

The Hatter successfully found a single tea bag hanging onto a tree branch dangling for dear life. Tarrant pulled the bag off the branch and made his way back to the pot. He went to put the tea bag into the blue pot when he realized that he did not hear the familiar clink of the bag hitting the porcelain, but instead he heard the bag hit an unidentifiable object _inside_ the pot. The Hatter pulled off the delicate top of the teapot and reached his hand inside. He felt a cool small vial touch his fingers and he pulled it out.

Tarrant examined it closely to see it was…

**~o.O.o~**

Alice sat at the end of her bed just examining the beautiful pot her Aunt once owned. The story her Aunt told was nothing more than a story right? What else could have it been? Nothing more than something to pass time as two ladies had an afternoon picnic… But Alice knew better, and she knew that there was something different about _this _particular teapot. She examined the painted porcelain she had just received hours ago for 250 quid. _Peculiar. _She thought about the _Pot._ 'Can you name things that begin with the letter P, my dear Alice?' The lass heard her dear friend ask her. _Oh Hatter of course I can, peculiar for one, and porcelain, painted, princess, pins…and THIMBLES!_ The girl thought slowly breaking the word game she was playing with herself.

Alice had completely forgotten about the thimble! She had not slept a wink and the moonlight shone through the window in her room, but the thimble lay next to her on her bedside table. She grabbed the thimble from its resting place and examined it. Was she just imaging that that particular thimble belonged to the mad Hatter? _No._ She thought as she examined it closely, and right at the corner of the thimble had the fraction 10/6…

Alice knew what she was going to do.. It was mad, no it wasn't just mad it was COMPLETELY BONKERS, but she had to try. She rummaged through one of her clothing drawers to find the vial she had used to return home. The girl then searched for a piece of parchment she could roll up inside the vial. With much determination, and muchness, Alice began to think of something to write on the parchment… She dipped her quill in ink and began to scribble something on the parchment.

Alice rolled up the parchment placed it in the vial and placed the vial in the teapot. _Completely Bonkers, totally mad! _She thought as she slowly made her way to her bed. 'Can you think of six impossible things before breakfast?' _Well here's one father, Teapots that connect Underland and Overland…how silly of an idea is that…yes, but it's an idea. _The blonde thought.. _A crazy, mad, wonderful, idea._ Alice smiled to herself and slowly drifted off to sleep, but her dreams were not filled with scandalous business adventures, but a smiling cat, a tiny doormouse, and a Hatter as mad as they come!


	3. Chapter 3: Evergreen

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

**Disclaimer: I do not own AiW at all, but the teapot concept it solely mine and so are the tea fueled rages!;) **

Chapter 3: Evergreen

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage." ~Catherine Douzel

How dare they! The creatures of Underland toil with him, take him and toss him back and forth into the sea of madness. Can he just have peace? He is already reminded of HER everywhere he turns. "CAN Ah JUS' AVE MA BLASTED TEA 'N PEACE!" Tarrant screamed in Outlandish throwing the vial far past the table.

Tarrant sipped his tea sitting at his empty tea table. It was the bitter taste of evergreen, and that terrible tea brought up more memories from the past. It was the Horunvendush Day. The day the bloody red head took control. His father Harland Hightopp would always tell him: "Plain, but bitter tells of change unforeseen, but nothing speaks better than that of the evergreen." That day they died…ALL of them.. His sisters, brothers, father…and his mother Beatrice.

Tarrant always loved his mother best.. When all of the other Hightopps teased Tarrant of his fiery red hair she would say: "My lovely Tarrant, klotchyn, your hair is distinct my love, lest you be any less mad you wouldn't be my lovely Tarrant. Fear not, that hair makes you different, it makes you unique." She died, they all died, left him to be alone… Much like Alice.. But she _chose _to leave him. Leave him and his madness to forever wait for one day the Gribling Day, would soon return.

The small tear running down the Hatter's face broke Tarrant from his thoughts. His chest began to ache again until a familiar voice further awoke him from his nostalgia.

"Hatta!" Mally the door mouse screamed out to the madman. He refused to answer, he just sat at his usual spot at the tea table distant from the world cursing fate. "Hatta?" Mally asked again trying to break Tarrant from his current state of delirium.

That is when it happened…Mally tripped over the rather large vial that once held the Jabberwocky blood. Tarrant refused to touch the poisonous thing, cursing the bloody creature that dare cut further into his already smashed heart. "Hatta..Is this?" She asked, clearly implying what needed to be implied, and leaving out the importance of a name that may break the broken man.

Tarrant shook his head in rejection. "That blasted thing is not from that Lass, she is gon ye stupid creature! How dare ye open fresh wounds! Why would ye do such a thin to ma? Ya _Slurking urpal slackush scrum_!" Tarrant began to curse vigorously in Outlandish leaving the door mouse trying to reason with his heightened madness.

"But Hatta…I didn't do it. Have you even opened the vial?" Mally questioned tying to make the man see rationally instead of trying to gut her out and use the poor mouse as new hat material.

"I don' wan yer silly slackush, leave me naw!" Hatter screamed bolting towards the poor mouse. Mally began to back up in self defense not wanting to be a part of yet another treacherous fit of the madman.

"Hatta, the White Queen says she wants to see ya. She says she'll give ya till tomorrow and if ye don't come she'll send her army." Mally said retreating from the scene leaving the madman to destroy anything in his path.

The innocent land waited for its vicious assault, but it never came. Tarrant sunk to the ground against the table, hating the creature he had become. He was becoming a madman, threatening all he held dear, and closing out the memories that were once precious.

Tear began to flow down the man's face. Tears of regret, tears of sadness, tears of loss, and for once in a long time Tarrant began to cry…Through his fit of tears the sun was kind enough to shimmer its beautiful rays on the glass vial that lay a foot away from the distraught man.

The Hatter slowly inched towards the vial, feeling an overwhelming feeling of pain once again surge through him, but he was determined to fight it. He felt the cool glass of the vial once again touch his finger, and he slowly removed the top to read the parchment.

It read: "_Have you any idea why a Raven is like a writing desk?" –Alice_

For once in his life, Tarrant Hightopp, was utterly at a loss for words. How did he know for sure that it was indeed HIS Alice, and not just some imagination? Some tortuous figment created by his mind to harass him so.. He would ask.

He would first prove that it was he that sat at the end of the teapot and he would make whomever it was prove who they were. Tarrant ripped a piece of tablecloth from the table and made a small hat with it. The hat was just a little work of art, but if it was indeed his lass that sat across the other end of the kettle she would know it was he. He wrote on the back of the parchment saying: "Because Poe wrote both my dear. Prove to me you are who you say, what was slain on the Frabjous Day?"

Tarrant could hope it was she, the name he refused to speak of, the name that continually haunted him so. He would hope for the best, but the only real thing that was slain on the Frabjous Day was a heart of a mad man.

Tarrant grabbed the blue teapot and defended it with his life because that was the only shred of sanity the man had left, and he headed towards Marmoreal to face his fate.

**~.o.O.o.~**

"Alice? Alice, are you listening to me?" Mrs. Kingsleigh asked the girl sitting at the table staring out the large glass window so graciously placed in front of their dining table. She was thinking of Underland and how she missed it so, but she was broken out of her daydream by the squeals and squalls of her mother.

"I'm sorry mum, what did you say?" Alice asked slightly perturbed she was awakened from her daytime fantasies, and wonders about the teapot that sat on her dresser.

"If you continue to keep your head up in those silly clouds you are going to end up like your Aunt Imogene! I mean just look at you! You rejected FIVE suitors in the last month, all of which are from very noble blood! And furthermore look at the way you behave at breakfast! Is that any way for a _Lady_ to sit?" Her mother criticized. Alice frowned at her mother's disapproval, and changed the comfortable position she once sat.

"And If I dare find you without a corset on again, I will have the maids tie you in it so tight your cheeks will be _naturally rosy._" threatened adding emphasis to _naturally rosy_. Alice winced at her mother's threats knowing that she was more than capable to accomplish these things. Alice knew she just wasn't a proper lady of England. She was however, a proper lady of Underworld.

Oh, how she wished to just find that rabbit hole and go back, but she needed to solve a few riddles here first. The clock chimed noon breaking Alice from her thoughts and granting the freedom from her luncheon with the squalling mother.

"Mother, I must leave I have a meeting set up today with Lord Ascot to address our further business adventures! Fairfarren!" Alice bid her farewell as she began to dash for the front door of her house.

"Stop running like that! Ladies do not run! And that kind of gibberish is not-" Mrs. Kingsleigh's critiques were cut off by the slam of a door.

Alice skipped to the Ascot's Manor instead of taking a carriage because that's what _ladies _do and Alice was not a _lady_. She was sure she would hear it from her mother later, but she did not care she wanted to feel the wind, and examine all the unsavory characters that walked the streets of London.

Many interesting characters passed the lass as she made her way to the lavish home, but she could not help but think of all the even more fascinating characters she had met in Underland. Alice spoke with Lord Ascot briefly as to avoid any awkward or unnecessary conversation with Hamish. The two business partners discussed the gala they would soon have to present their idea of China to all the stock holders in her father's company. Lord Ascot said her idea was mad, but a wise man once told her all the best people are mad.

Alice walked back in the dark of night to her home and slowly sneaked her way through her house to avoid her mother's scolding. Alice successfully made it to her room where she turned the lock of her door, and that's when she saw it. Her teapot shining in the moonlight sitting, almost waiting, for her to return.

The girl smiled at the piece of dishware and began to prepare for bed, but before she laid her golden tresses on the soft pillow she checked her teapot for any signs of Underland. She opened the lid that looked much like a hat to find a tiny hat inside the teapot as well as the vial she placed in it earlier.

She didn't have to guess to know the crafter of the hat was none other than her Hatter..No, not _her _Hatter. She meant to say the Hatter, silly what a little sleep can do to one's grammar usage. She opened the vial to read the response on the parchment and began to ponder the question.. _What was slain on the __Frabjous Day?_ She asked to herself. _Well, it couldn't possibly be the Jabberwocky because that would be the obvious answer._ Alice began to ponder the question knowing that the Hatter's riddles were difficult and pondersome, much like her Aunt's. Alice slowly climbed into bed with the vial and parchment in hand.

Her eyelids began to feel heavy, but before she went to sleep she noticed the faint sent of Evergreen Tea tickle her nose, and that night Alice Kingsleigh found herself smiling. Smiling because her dreams were filled a mad Hatter, and the wonderful sent of evergreen.

****IMPORTANT READ****

**AN: I want to apologize to all of you for my inappropriate demands for reviews, a wise woman;) helped me see the light and I am so disappointed in my behavior! Please forgive me my precious readers and I pray that my terrible attitude will not keep you from reading on! So I hope you like this chapter! It's not THAT good so I am a little disappointed. As you can see I have added a lot of Outlandish lingo to the story! I am going to explain it to those who aren't familiar with Alice THAT much! Here it goes:**

**Frabjous Day** – The day Alice slays the Jabberwocky and frees Underland from the oppression of the Red Queen.  
><strong>Horunvendush Day<strong> – The day the Red Queen took control of Underland.  
><strong>Gribling Day<strong> – n. – The day Alice will return to Underland.  
><em>Slurking urpal slackush scrum<em> – Cursing, unknown translation. Outlandish  
><span><strong>Marmoreal<strong> – The land where the White Queen's castle is located.  
><strong>klotchyn<strong> – intj. – Listen up!; Pay attention!  
><span><strong>jabberwocky<strong> – n. – The Red Queen's champion. The Jabberwocky looks to be a sort of dragon, with six limbs: four legs and two wings. It speaks in a low voice, and has a forked, snake-like tongue (it may also have a corresponding Jacobson's organ, from the movements of the tongue in the film), as well as forward-facing eyes. Its wings are observably used as much for walking as flying, and its blood has highly magical properties. The Jabberwocky is the subject of a poem, and from there we can surmise that it is also native to the Tulgey Wood. There is only one Jabberwocky.


	4. Chapter 4: Chamomile

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

**AN: Ohkay so quick fun fact and then we're off! Chamomile is not actually a tea, it don't come from the tea plant (camellia sinensis). Isn't that interesting? Well, I guess you learn something new every day! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own AiW at all, but the teapot concept it solely mine and so are the tea fueled rages!;) **

Chapter 4: Chamomile

If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you. ~Gladstone

It had been three days...three days since Tarrant put the hat and response in the blasted pot and he did yet receive anything. Tarrant began to believe that maybe it was all a figment of his imagination, or maybe Time was being cruel to the poor hatter and his dear lass was already married with children. Tarrant immediately shook the thought from his head as an attempt to save the hat he was making.

Returning to Maromeal was done with ease and forgiveness because the White Queen knew the realness of the situation. Maybe everyone knew he was in...No he wasn't in love! He couldn't possibly be in love! He was just a mad man; creatures like him didn't deserve to love! _Love _it was a word that on more than one occasion broke the poor man's heart. How many time had he fallen in love with a person and all they had done was left him? He knew a love of one's family was different, but that of a lover? Could she really be Tarrant's lover? A decent woman of the world, come to love a creature as mad as he?

Something quickly arose in the Hatter's chest as he began to think of Al-_that girl_ again. How her long tresses shone perfectly in the golden sun almost showing the sun how to be golden. Or how her ivory colored skin looked so flawless that if Tarrant were to reach out and touch it her skin would shatter beneath his touch. He began to think how blue suited his lass so well how she just glowed more beautifully than any woman in Underland! Her smile..._TARRANT STOP_ the Hatter scolded himself for thinking of the sole cause for his broken heart, but the same sole cause that keeps his heart beating. He shouldn't think of her that way! She's such a lass, full of muchness; she needed a man that could match her perfectly.

Who was Tarrant Hightopp? Certainly not a man that could match such a fair woman...But he could not help and think that no other man was worthy to touch HIS lass, NO… She was _his_ and _his alone_, and poor Tarrant Hightopp could not fathom the idea of some slurvish, ugly, pig-faced, *censored* *extreme Outlandish cursing;)* man would dare lay a hand on HER. The Hatter began to lose it once more. Throwing fabric every which way, needles and pins becoming projectiles on unfinished projects, and fearful completed hats screamed as their seams were ripped apart.

Now you see the White Queen, or Mirana, was a very wise woman indeed. She had specifically placed guards outside Tarrant's room if their use was ever needed. It wasn't that she did not trust her dear friend, the Hatter; she simply wanted to try to help him in any way possible to "get back on his feet" so to speak. Many would admire the fair Queen for her noble efforts of comforting such a loathsome soul, but Mirana saw it as her selfishness blooming. Mirana undeniably had more than friendly feelings for her dear friend Tarrant Hightopp. However, Mirana had these feelings masked so well even the best of her extracting potion could not withdraw the truth. Whilst the Queen was attending to her courtly duties, the chess piece knights immediately notified her of his fit, and Mirana was flying down the hallway at such a pace many would consider this pace unworthy for such a monarch of grace and elegance!

Mirana slowly opened the milliner's chamber to find the room in utter disarray. Fabric was strung out all over the room, needles impaled unsuspecting hats, and one particularly mad Hatter lay in the midst of the chaos.

"What has become of you my dear, dear friend?" Mirana asked closing the door behind her, and making her way gently to the broken man. She coaxed him by slowly stroking his back. _No one should dare make you feel this way my dear Tarrant_. She thought smoothing out the wrinkled fabric of his peti-coat. She was jealous, not jealous enough to act on, but she hated the only woman that held on to her dear friend's heart. Mirana knew she could never have Tarrant's heart not just because she was only set to marry noble, royal blood, but strictly because she was a greedy woman. If she was to have Tarrant Hightopp _no one else would_, and the fair Queen understood that the Hatter could never give her his heart, and that made her fairness ache inside.

Tarrant lay face down in the pile of fabric crying, angry, and utterly tired of life. He had begged with Time, no he had PLEADED with Time. Just wanting to end his misery of a life, but Time had better plans. Why Time continued to toil and taunt the poor man made Tarrant want to hurt Time and make him feel the pain and agony every time he drew a breath.

Mirana and Tarrant sat in the company of each other hearing the harsh sobs coming from the deeply saddened man. Tarrant refused to live happily, he hated _her_, he hated EVERYONE, but he would save face and put on a smile. He would act proper all the while he was slowly fading away on the inside. Yes, Tarrant had a new plan he wouldn't be the 'Mad Hatter' as Alice once called him but a normal man. Normal was indeed what everyone feared.

**~.o.O.o.~**

Alice was positively perplexed by the riddle she received. This riddle utterly consumed her. During breakfast, her mother frequently questioned her daughter's etiquette, but Alice didn't even have the energy to satisfy her mother's complaints. She had been up almost all night contemplating the impenetrable question. She knew finding the answer would not by any means be simple but she just had to think.

Alice began to think. To think. To think. What _else was slain on that BLASTED day?_ Alice asked herself as she racked her brain for answers. All the poor girl could keep going to was him. His beautiful green eyes, his fiery red hair she loved so much, and the crazy toothy grin he wore on his face amidst trouble. How he always seemed to put Alice in a positively hopeful mood, but he was the muchness she could never find. She loved how when the Hatter got a tad bit angry, happy, or he was just himself his eyes would illuminate all sorts of color and shades that told unwritten stories of the madman.

That's when Alice knew that his eyes were the key to solving the riddle..._yes! HIS EYES!_ She thought! When Alice rejected the poor Hatter's idea his eyes began to fade, along with the vibrancy of his character. _He had a complete change in attitude; no it was more than that_… Alice thought "Well go on you stupid girl, I say, if you don't solve this riddle you aren't _an Alice_ at all." A familiar monotone voice rung through her head. _Was it that the Hatter had a change of heart? _She thought. His crazy, mad, wonderful idea, asked with pleading eyes and a heart on the line too? She began to realize it Tarrant Hightopp loves her...or wait he _did _love her, and it broke her heart to say so. The one man she treasured more than anything and she broke his heart…left him _alone_. She couldn't think of such matters anymore slowly moving back to the riddle.

A broken heart? Alice said aloud as she played with her beloved cat Dinah. Dinah meowed in agreement at Alice's question. "Well, you don't think it's the Jabberwocky do you now love?" Alice questioned the cat as she pawed playfully at her owner's hands. Dinah pawed at the answer, but every time Alice would say broken heart, it was as if Dinah agreed. Alice finally knew the answer a broken heart for a madman. She knew that she would later write on her fresh piece of parchment.

Alice made her way to her chambers brusquely as she began to feel a surge of giddiness sweep over her! She knew the answer! She reached her chamber bolted the door and wrote on the parchment, but she came up short of what to include to prove it was THE Alice here.

Many times she thought of a bracelets or a keepsake, but her dear Hatter would not know of such things to belong to her. So, she thought of it! Her hair! Not all of it of course, but just a lock. Alice cut a tiny lock of her beautiful hair and incased it in the vial with the parchment.

Alice placed the vial in the pot and closed the lid, as she made her way to her bed for an afternoon nap. She could not do much napping which was not good because she needed to rest for the Gala she would be hosting later tonight. All she could think of was her Hatter, yes, HER poor Hatter and how she broke his fragile heart!


	5. Chapter 5: White

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

Chapter 5: White

Remember the tea kettle - it is always up to its neck in hot water, yet it still sings! ~Author Unknown

**AN: It's quick promise! PAY CLOSE, CLOSE attention to the title of this chapter it is VERY important!**

A beautiful room, illuminated with the gay faces that enjoyed the night. Dressed twirled around in a uniform fashion and laughter escaped the lips of many. All were content at the fine Gala except for one.

A heavy sigh escaped Alice's lips as she took a seat on the window seat in the open ballroom. She had been asked to dance by five or six different men and in an attempt to escape the multitude of offers, and later scoldings of her mother; she sought refuge at the seat. At that particular moment the attendees of the party were taking part in a Regency dance , which was very new to Alice and she did not like all of the movements, so she sat out.

Alice felt the cool glass touch her fair forehead as she looked out the window staring at the magnificent moon. Her mind began to wonder off as she thought of Underland nights, and her lovely Hatter. She shut her eyes and she could see his electrifying green eyes looking back at her. Oh, how she longed to see him again, but she had to seal the business ventures with her father's company and then she was free!

Alice opened her eyes to see a pair staring right back at her. The eyes were green, and welcoming, but not nearly as beautiful as her Hatter's. "Hello" a warm voice welcomed bowing at the girl ahead. "Evening." Alice responded curtseying respectfully to the gentleman in front of her.

"Have you had the chance to look at the moon tonight?" The man queried to the lass looking at her thoughtfully. "I have indeed. Why is it you ask sir…?" She was now at a loss for words because she was unaware of the lad's name.

"McAvoy….William McAvoy. And I presume that you are indeed _The _Alice Kingsleigh? Daughter of the late Charles Kingsleigh and now taking over the business?" William questioned.

"Well, when you put it that way, yes, yes I am." Alice said half impressed at how much he knew about her, but half disturbed at the same time. "Well, I would consider it an honor if you would accompany me in the next dance." Mr. McAvoy asked Alice. She wanted to say no, she wanted to run far away as to avoid anymore terrible dances, but she nodded her head and followed the man to the dance floor.

The music began to play and Alice realized that the dance the couple would be participating in was the quadrille. Alice hated the quadrille, but then again were there any dance she loved? _No, except for futterwacken_ Alice thought as she giggled to herself once again thinking about her beloved Hatter.

William said all the right things and knew all the correct moves, but Alice did not pay any attention to the poor lad because she was too focused on her Hatter. Alice was eager to see his response for what she put, and when the time was right she would return to him. _Exactly_, when the time was right she would return to him because she had a plan to get back to Underland. Rabbit hole OR not. The dance came to a close and Alice gave a curtsey to the gentleman quickly making her way to mingle with stock holders, and business men.

The night came to a close but before everyone was bid farewell Lord Ascot stepped to the front of the room to make an announcement. "I want to thank you all for arriving this fine evening to take part in our merry activities. As you know the late Charles Kingsleigh's daughter Alice is here tonight to promote her business adventure in China. I am glad to say that her efforts were not in vain, and the company will proceed with the endeavor. Congratulations Miss Kingsleigh" Lord Ascot finished raising his glass to toast the young woman.

Many people followed suit and rose their glasses in approval, but just before the glasses lowered another figure approached the front. Mrs. Kingsleigh reached the front bearing new of her own... News that would change Alice Kingsleigh…forever.

"Ladies and Gentleman! Alice Kingsleigh is…"

**~.o.O.o.~**

"Splendid!" the brunette shrieked as she led Tarrant off onto the dance floor for a dance. She moved her body with grace and elegance when she moved and snaked around the man's body. He was seemingly unaffected which made the woman frown and caused her to dance more provocatively towards the red head.

Tarrant quickly formulated a plausible excuse to leave his partner and escape for a moment of peace. He stood in front of the large glass window that overlooked Maromeal's entire garden. _Why did Mirana insist on having a ball?_ Tarrant asked wearily examining himself in the mirror.

His hair was tied back in a hair tie, and its untamable parts were smoothed out. He wore a solemn expression on his face and his eyes were as dull as graphite reflecting how he felt. His outfit did not smell like dye, and a hard day's work, but of an unfamiliar sent to the Hatter's nose. The outfit he wore was dull, without a stitch of color or life, Tarrant Hightopp was a dull man.

Tarrant looked up at the moon gazing at it adoringly, and jealously. _How dare you find love! _He thought angrily at the moon. _How dare you come to greet her every night and tell her how much you love her by the way you shine! No one wants to see you and your blasted love! I hope she breaks your heart!_..._a broken heart was slain_. Tarrant thought to himself remembering the riddle her sent to her. Hatter took off without another thought and ran to his quarters in hopes of finding his answer.

He rummaged through the entire room. The dresser was turned upside down, his clothes hung off the fan and bedposts, and all Tarrant could focus on was the blue teapot, _his_ blue teapot. Whilst the Hatter was vigorously assaulting his room, Thackery slipped in hiccupping worse than borogove with its hair chopped off.

"Wha' *hic* chur *hic* lookin' *hic* fer Hatta?" Thackery slurred asking his friend the reason for his discontent. The Hatter's hair was frizzy, his eyes showed urgency the color of yellow, and he did not have time for shenanigans. "Don' bother me right nah ye scut of a rath**!"**Tarrant yelled while ripping the sheets off his colorful bed. Usually the insult would have scared the hare away, but the squirmberry punch that he divulged in weakened his reaction.

"Oi! If yer *hic* a lookin' *hic* fer somethin' *hic* why doncha *hic* jus tell me?" the march hare further prodded trying to loosen the lips of his uptight friend. "Fine! If I tell ye willya leave me alone?" Hatter screamed frantically searching his room. Thackery nodded and slowly approached his apprehensive friend.

"I'm looking for a blue teapot." Tarrant sighed waiting for his drunken mess of a friend to poke fun at him willingly. Thackery automatically noticed what Tarrant was referencing and quickly tried to tell him of its whereabouts.

"Why! *hic* tha *hic* there pot *hic* is in ma kitchen!*hic*" Thackery spat out as he stumbled back and forth to keep his balance. The Hatter did not need any more words from his friend and he took off in a mad dash to the castle's kitchen. Tarrant saw the teapot placed on the island of the kitchen waiting for him and right before he went to grab it a waiter placed it on their serving tray.

Tarrant chased the person down nearly tackling him to the ground for the precious pot, and quickly made his escape out the back door. He opened the teapot under the moonlight night to find the small vial was unharmed by the liquid the pot had in it. Tarrant opened the teapot to find that Alice, _the _Alice knew who he was. Those words felt good escaping his lips. She wrote a tiny note apologizing for breaking his heart, and saying she had a plan, but the next thing the Hatter found in the pot brought him more grief than he could ever imagine.

**Outlandish references:**

scut – n. – Vulgar slang for buttocks. ('scut' is a real English word, referring specifically to the tail/bottom area of a rabbit, deer, or other short-tailed mammal.)  
>rath - n. – A green pig.<br>borogove – n. – A 'shabby-looking' bird with its feathers sticking out all around, that resembles 'something like a live mop'.


	6. Chapter 6: Black

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

Chapter 6: Black

_Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world. ~T'ien Yiheng_

_Married? _Alice asked as if she did not know how to respond. Alice Kingsleigh, _married? _There was that word again she shuddered at it. Her mother, her terrible mother, walked to the front of the Gala and announced to _everyone_ of her engagement. How was it she did not get a say in her future? How was it that she was going to be handed off to some stranger when she….when she was already _in love_? Alice could feel a prickling feeling in her eyes as she fought off her tears. Many people approached her to congratulate her on her future, and the poor lass tried to thank them quietly and move on.

Her mother stood at the front of the room beaming radiantly as though she just told a secret that would make the corset sales go down drastically. Alice made her was to her mother and she was ready to make a scene. She would not go down without a fight, and when that failed? She would run. When Alice approached her mother the smile did not diminish from her face, on the contrary her smile grew significantly larger.

"Ah Hello my _darling!_" Mrs. Kingsleigh cooed as she walked towards her daughter slightly breaking her conversation with the man beside her.

"Mother, I must speak to you…" Alice started, but she was soon cut off by her mother's own voice.

"Well now dear, I'm sure that can wait. _Besides_, wouldn't you much rather prefer to meet the man you are going to spend the rest of your life with?" Mrs. Kingsleigh asked condescendingly to her daughter.

Alice wanted to run. She wanted to bolt straight out the door and find her dear Underland….her dear Hatter. Running for the poor girl was not an option. Alice's limbs felt as though they were reduced to a consistency of lemon curd, and her tongue felt worse than the paralyzing pain of her Bandersnatch gash. As our dear girl stood frozen like a chess piece, the man she was condemned to wed slowly turned around, and Alice felt utterly betrayed…..

**~.o.O.o.~**

Tarrant was rejoicing in pure merriment that his dear Alice knew who he was! She knew! She knew! What a glorious day it was indeed! The Hatter was so overjoyed that he could almost futterwacken to his home…_almost._ Tarrant looked down at the blue teapot to see there was another note awaiting his touch, but this time the paper did not have the safe security for the jabberwocky vial.

The Hatter pulled out the saturated piece of paper, and held it away from him as he smelled the stench. He winced at the unpleasant disgusting odor of black licorice tea. Most of the paper was dyed because of the tea's dark color, but Tarrant did his best to decipher the letter written by his love.

_Tarrant I have a plan…I….you….to…pilshaver…with…..upelkuchen_

…_teapot….I…..mother…..me…..wed….horrid…..not…come…_

_back….to….Underland…ever…_

Goodbye..now,

Alice

The Hatter would just read the same fragmented set of words until it all mad sense to him. _Not come back to Underland ever._ He heard over, and over, and over in his head. He was so close to love, _his _love and yet Time once again managed to steal his treasured lass away from him.

"BLASTED TIME!" Tarrant screamed as he kicked and stomped on the greenery around him. The party's revelry was far too loud to hear the anguish of a madman, so the Hatter could scream as loudly as he wanted. Tarrant heaved rocks as fast as the tears streamed down his face.

"WHY WOULD YA LEAVE ME? I LOVE YA! I….." The lad stopped as he saw it. That teapot, that evil piece of porcelain that brought him all this pain. Tarrant stormed towards the china so quickly it would seem as though he would have put the Bandersnatch's speed to shame. _Hate….hate, hate._ Began fester like an infected wound that was left untended to. Tarrant picked up the teapot and allowed the moonlight to shine on it once more.

The sky could not look more beautiful than the piece of tableware that sat in his hands. Tarrant laughed manically at the teapot as he spoke to it with malice.

"hahaha….ya thin' yer funnah tryin' ta sho' me beauty….I'LL SHOW YA BEAUTY!" The lad screamed as he threw the teapot at the nearest tree. The shatter of porcelain was like music to the Hatter's ears as he turned around. He had no intent to live with his lass gone. Tarrant began to slowly sink to the ground writhing in pain with of his broken heart. His tears began to fall with a vicious pace down his stark white face, and sure enough the rain reciprocated agreeing with his feelings.

Mirana watched in the darkness as her dear friend once again had his heart broken. The Queen began to secretly hate _that _girl more and more with each passing second. _She_ broke his heart relentless times, and yet he _still_ loved her. Why couldn't he just love her ladyship? Surely, Mirana wasn't from Overland, but she would give Tarrant all that he desired. He would make her all the finest hats in Underland and she would gladly keep him by her side until Time claimed her.

Mirana ached on the inside. She longed to be loved by the Hatter the way he loved Alice. Unfortunately, his heart was only meant for one, but the Queen would be greedy. She would monopolize Tarrant Hightopp and _make_ him fall in love with her whether he wanted to or not.

The Queen walked into the pouring rain to retrieve her now soaking Hatter who was now unconscious. She quickly called for some attendants to help carry his body to his chambers, and clean him. Before Mirana exited the garden she saw the slight glimmer of pottery catch her eye. Maintaining all grace and sophistication she made her way to the pieced specimen. The handle of the teapot was now severed from the body, but the body itself remained in one piece. The Queen picked up the broken glass and pondered why it would be in the garden with Tarrant. Her eyes wondered to the familiar vial of Jabberwocky blood she once held in her ivory hands. Her ladyship picked up the vial to see it rested on top of a deteriorated piece of paper, and inside the vial lay a piece of parchment.

Mirana opened the vial to reveal the information her dear friend withheld from her. She read the several exchanges the two lovers had, and she felt a pang of jealousy once again touch her heart. The Queen made her way back to the castle and had the teapot fixed because that was the last favor she would do for the Champion.

**~.o.O.o.~**

William McAvoy stood before Alice smiling contently as he listened to his future mother-in-law coo about the wedding. Alice felt betrayed, utterly betrayed. The only man that she would do the favor of sharing a dance with, and he betrayed her. Oh, how she hated him right now. _How he didn't even have the common decency to tell her she was in an arranged marriage to him!_ She thought as she watched him converse with her mother.

She hated _both _ of them. She begged her mother to put off the wedding, for goodness sake, she even go down on her knees, but her mother threatened to lock her daughter away. Alice wanted to run, Alice tried to run, but her mother made sure her daughter was accompanied at all times.

There Alice sat at her dining room table feeling utterly alone. She looked out the window, but not even the comforts of her daydreams could cheer the poor lass up. Every now and then Alice's mother would include Alice, but Alice shrugged it off merely waiting for the time she would escape. The wedding would be in two days…_two days_, and Alice grew quite worrisome. She had not heard anything from her one true love the Hatter, and if he did not send her what she asked for she would be stuck in Overland…_forever_.


	7. Chapter 7: Red

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

AN: Playlist suggestion for this chapter is Chasing Cars.. It fits the overall somber mood of this chapter.. Hope any of you don't cry haha this chapter is meant to be heart wrenching.

Chapter 7: Red

_If a man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty. –Unknown_

Nighttime usually brought about peaceful memories and pleasant dreams of the life to come, aside from Overland, but for Alice nighttime now brought nightmares. Alice broke from another dream that plagued her nights reminding her that she _still_ has not heard from her Hatter. Many questions flew through the young lady's head as she sat in her bed.

_What if he is married now like I am to be? What if he hates me now and does not want anything to do with me? What if….what if…WHAT IF?_

The what if's began to bother Alice so much she shook her head of such thoughts. She did not want to think of her Hatter in any different way than the crazy, mad, wonderful, way she thought about him. As much as she _wanted _to think of him that way an uneasy feeling sat in her stomach.

Alice did whatever she could to get rid of the wretched feeling, but it would not come to pass. She massaged her tummy, she tried sleeping on her side, and she even swallowed a spoon full of sugar. The natural remedies would not soothe the poor lass' aliment.

Alice sat in her bed confused, tired, and nervous. What was she nervous about? Certainly not the wedding, but maybe the fact that her knight…err… Hatter in shining armor refused to rescue her. He did not send the phishalver she asked for… _Did he not want her to go to Underland? NO._ Alice thought rejecting the thought because she knew he wanted her there, but why couldn't she shake the feeling?

Alice continued to evaluate the reasons why her Hatter would refuse to rescue her. She began to think, and think some more, but the sound of an unfamiliar _clink!_ snapped the lass out of her reasoning. Alice examined her room to see where the noise would have come from, but her eyes kept wandering back to the teapot.

Alice eagerly approached the porcelain with giddiness in her step. He had answered, and hopefully he sent the phishalver she asked for. None of that mattered because her Hatter _did_ love her, and she _did _want her in Underland. With him. She smiled as she opened the Jabberwocky vial and pulling out the piece of parchment.

Alice fell upon three words that stung more than anything in the world. She began to breakdown inside as though her muchness was sucked out by these three words. Her hands fell to the floor as the stream of tears flooded her ivory white face. She was broken. Her Hatter did not want her. He did not want her in Underland, he did not want to save her, and he did not love her.

_He did not love her_

The realization of the harsh truth hit Alice faster than the vorpal sword hit the Jabberwocky. That was the last straw, and Alice broke with the final blow. Her insides shook violently as she cried quietly. She began to wail, and shake more hoping someone would hear. No one did. Alice eventually cried herself to sleep when her chest wasn't heaving too badly. The delicate piece of parchment left her hand as her eyes closed. The paper met the floor softly, and it read three heart breaking words…._I hate you_

**~.o.O.o.~**

Mirana was doing her a favor wasn't she? The fair Queen asked as she paced down the pristine hallways of Maromeal. After all Alice was getting married and she was trying to help her Champion move on. Alice didn't belong in Underland she needed to remain in her own world. So why did Mirana feel so guilty? Was it that she betrayed her two closest friends? Or was it the fact that for once in her life Mirana did something utterly selfish? _Selfish_. Mirana frowned at the thought.

_No._ Mirana was not being selfish. She was simply trying to help two people move on so neither of the people would be hurt. Hurt. Wasn't that what she was trying to stop? The queen continually thought about this subject until she met with her lovely Hatter. Guilt began to flood Mirana once more. She tried to hide it from her solemn friend, but she couldn't.'

Mirana knew she had to tell Tarrant what she did, but how could she? How could she tell him, and still try to win his affection. The Hatter tried to make small talk until Mirana utterly lost her regal façade. She quickly closed the door to the Hatter's chambers and broke down.

"I am so sorry Tarrant I tried to just make things better, but I fear I have only made things infinitely worse." Mirana said through a fit of sobs overcoming her. Tarrant lifted one of his eyebrows utterly confused, but a nervous feeling arose in the pit of his stomach.

"What are you talking about milady?" Tarrant asked coming closer to the distraught Queen. She moved away trying to regain a shred of poise.

"I…..I am the one that put the paper in the teapot." Mirana said wincing at the words that left her lips. She had to take responsibility for her actions regardless of what motive she had or not.

"I fear I do not know what you are talking about milady." Tarrant said formally trying not to go mental on the poor lady. He knew something was wrong.. Mirana did something she is ashamed of, and it had to do with his teapot...

"I…I…..put….a note in your teapot…to the Champion…" Mirana stopped. She didn't want him to know, she didn't want him to think badly of her, but the Queen was cut off from her thoughts by Tarrant's next question.

"What did ye say?"The Hatter asked in his deep brogue. He was tired of the games she was playing with him. He just wanted to know what the blasted piece of paper said. Not that he cared about Alice because she didn't care about him. He wanted to know none the less.

"I wrote _I hate you_." Mirana said clearly aware that Tarrant wasn't in the mood for much of anything.

The Hatter was shocked. The sole person he trusted in this entire land betrayed him. He had nothing on this whole world that mattered. Tarrant knew what he was going to do, no, what he _had_ to do. Tarrant moved past the Queen, and headed straight for the door. None of the soft pleas of his Queen would stop him. He walked straight through the gates of Maromeal, and headed towards the wasteland of Snud.

Tarrant Hightopp was going to kill himself.


	8. Chapter 8: Chai

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

Chapter 8: Chai

**AN: Okay, so here is the next chappie! Pay very close attention because if you do you will catch the reference I made from another book;) First person to get this will win a requested one-shot..sorry, that's about the best I can do! Haha Much Love, MJ**

"ARE YE HAPPY NOW YAH BLASTED CREATURE TIME!" Tarrant screamed at the clouds as the moved slowly in the red sky. Tarrant broke out into yet another one of his fits, until his satchel fell from his shoulder.

The brown burlap bag opened as it hit the ground and its contents spilled everywhere. The Hatter cursed in his Outlandish tone, and he began to pick up what fell out of his bag. It was in that moment the most curious thing happened. The blue teapot hit Tarrant Hightopp's foot. It was strange how things always had a way of making their way bad to the man.

Tarrant bent down as he picked up the teapot. He wanted to throw the pot as far as he could. He wanted to hear it smash against the tree and cry with a shatter. He wanted to be rid of this unbearable demon. The Hatter clutched the teapot once more in his hands. Tarrant went to go throw the pot when Chessur once again made one of his of so timely appearances.

"Hello, Hatter.." Chess purred while resting his fury paws on the delicate blue teapot.

The lad quickly withdrew the pot from the cat's grip pulling it protectively to his chest. The cat frowned slightly making his way closer to his disillusioned friend.

"You know, you could just tell our dear Alice about our Queen's behavior." Chess said hovering eye to eye with Tarrant.

"What ARE YE…" Hatter was about to say A LOT of things to devilish creature. He was about to curse him so badly that the sky would turn black, but his thoughts broke that idea. _Tell her?_ Tarrant pondered. The thought grew inside Tarrant's head very quickly. _Tell her…..hahahah….JUST TELL HER!_ The Hatter though giddily as her thought about the marvelous idea.

Tarrant laughed manically. "Well of course I'll tell her ye stupid feline!" He spat at the cat as he rummaged in his pocket for a piece of parchment.

"In return for the ingenious suggestion, I request your hat….." Chessur purred once again as his smile widened whilst he said the word hat.

The Hatter though about skinning the cat then and there and making a hat out of him, but he didn't instead he did the most unusual thing. Tarrant removed the beautiful hat from his fiery red hair and placed it on the bewildered feline.

The lad began to write on the parchment, but he felt as though his privacy was being intruded upon. The Hatter rose from his sitting position, and began to leave the cat behind.

"Tarrant where are you going?" Chess asked still in shock that the lovely hat sat upon his head.

"Where I'm going lad, ye betta not follo' cause Ima not comin' back." The Hatter grumbled in his think brogue deeply.

Chess nodded out of pure fear. He was never scared of anything because after all he was _the_ Chesire cat, but the look in Tarrant's eyes…That was a look of malice, hate, but most of all death. Chess understood what Tarrant was going to do. Once a creature of Underland is done with their life, and they want to cheat time, they get that look. It is worse than an empty look because it is fearful, reckless, and indifferent.

Chess had not seen many with this look, but he knew something must be done. Chessur had to warn someone, but _whom_? Chess broke out of his thoughts to rationalize with the mad man, but he was left alone in the Tulgey Woods.

The Hatter continued to writing his note on one of the many jagged rocks in the Trotter's Bottom which was not far from Snud. He wrote telling his dear Alice all the things he could not say, and all the things he wanted to say. More importantly he told her he did not hate her, on the contrary he found her quite lovely, and he did love her.

Tarrant folded up the parchment, and placed it in the blue teapot. The lad then journeyed onward to the land of Snud without any regret in his heart because his Alice knew he loved her.

**~.o.O.o.~**

Alice blankly looked out the window of her room staring at the dull sky. Today was the day she was to wed the terrible Mr. McAvoy that her mother so treacherously planned for her to do. Alice could care less about the stupid wedding to the stupid man because the only thing that consumed her thoughts was Tarrant.

She could not bear open the memory from last night. She could not think about how he _did not_ love her, and how he _did not_ want her in Underland. So, Alice only thought about the beautiful memories they shared. The lass would giggle occasionally thinking about his silly riddles, and his random rambles.

Mrs. Kingsleigh made her was up to Alice's room without her daughter even detecting her presence. She could see that Alice was once again lost in those silly little daydreams her husband Charles use to have. She missed Charles so, but refused to have Alice remind her of him. Mrs. Kingsleigh shook the silly feelings from her head, and broke her daughter from her thoughts.

"It's time to get married!" She said in a perfectly melodic sing-song voice. Alice looked at her mother with a look of fear and disinterest.

"I'm not marrying him…." Alice said turning away from her mother and looking back at the dull grey clouds. This irked Mrs. Kingsleigh to her fullest degree, but she tried to keep her temper reasonable, but what happened next made the woman become even angrier.

One of the maids who tended to Alice's room had very loose lips, and let it slip to the manager of the maids that Alice was exchanging secret love letters with a mystery man. You could imagine like any well bred high class mother, like Mrs. Kingsleigh, this would not do. So, Mrs. Kingsleigh brushed off her dress, ripped the letters out of the maid's hands, and excused the worker.

"Would you like to tell me about the inappropriate relations you are carrying on with?" Mrs. Kingsleigh queried to her daughter. Alice's eyes widened slightly as she looked at the notes her mother held clutched in her hands.

"Mother please give…." Alice struggled to speak as her mother began to scream at her.

"I have tried to raise you like your sister Margret who became such a distinguished figure in society. I have tried to be a good mother teaching you proper etiquette and looking out for you. Do you realize that if you do not wed we will not be able to give you _anything_? You will be a lonely, dead, old maid like your Aunt Imogene! Now, tell me where you have been _communicating _with the _man_."Alice's mother said full of malice and distaste.

Alice did not even have to tell her mother because her eyes yet again deceived her. Just as Alice's eyes wandered to her beloved teapot her mother followed suit.

"Mamah no!" Alice tried to plead with her mother as she approached the teapot.

"So, you've been _courting_ with one of the men I have not approved how _disgusting_…" Mrs. Kingsleigh snarled picking up the teapot. She began to walk out Alice's room carrying the teapot with her when Alice threw herself at the teapot. The young lass was determined to keep the little piece of Tarrant she had left.

"That is unladylike behavior! AND I WILL HAVE ORDER!" Mrs. Kingsleigh screamed as she threw the porcelain to the ground.

Alice watched as the porcelain hit the floor shattering into a million tiny pieces. All the dazzling colors of the pot crumbling beneath the floor's hard punch. Alice watched as the only happy image of her Hatter shattered before her eyes.

Mrs. Kingsleigh straightened herself out once more before saying, "I expect to see you down stairs in one hour. We must prep you for Mr. McAvoy, and I'll have someone in here to clean up that _mess_."

Alice did not respond, she just sat on the floor where her beautiful memories lie…crying for them back. The lass was lying on top of the rubble when she felt a delicate piece of paper amidst the sharp porcelain. The girl tried to dry her swollen eyes to read the note. The note that changed everything.


	9. Chapter 9: Rosehip

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

Chapter 9: Rosehip

"_A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."__  
><em>**_-_**_Eleanor Roosevelt_

**AN: sorry for not putting a quote up for the last chappie! Also, I would love for my newer readers/subscribers to review! I love to read your opinions. One last thing! I would love for y'all to check out my Harry Potter fic! I hope this chappie doesn't disappoint! Much Love.**

_Dear Fair Alice,_

_From the day I met you so many years ago I found you were different. As the years passed and I saw you become a woman my feelings for you changed. You are a lass that has so much..muchness. I cannot even begin to describe all the things I love about you. Your hair, fair skin, face, but most of all I love you for you. So, this is my pleading request. Don't marry that slurvish man, and come live with me. That man does not deserve someone as lovely as you. Consider all these things, but I have something else to say. I could never hate you as long as I live because I will only ever love. The reason my heart beats is because I know you're okay, and the hope that one day you will return to me.  
>Fairfarren,<em>

_my lovely Alice  
>P.S.<em>_ Where roses may be red and violets blue, I shall forever love you my queen, my love, protected by the sky of blue._

Alice was not sorrowful anymore, but she began to radiate with pure joy. He loved her! She could not believe what she read! He told her he loved her! Alice began to formulate a plan inside her head. She would escape the fate she was doomed to have. Alice would leave this terrible world and find her beautiful Hatter.

**~.o.O.o.~**

Chess flew through the vast woodlands of the Tugely woods trying desperately to get back to the kingdom of Maromeal. Usually Chessur would have materialized back to the kingdom, but something was inhibiting him from doing so.

Was it the worry he felt for his friend? Did Chess not want to see such a great man go? What Chessur still afraid of the stony gaze the Hatter gave him? Chess was broken from his thoughts to meet up with the familiar tea table of the mad posse.

Mally the door mouse sat at the table staring at her empty teacup, and Thackery was sleeping, or snoring, quietly obnoxiously might I add, over his saucer. Chess winced at the loud sounds emitting from the hare. Chessur then cleared his throat.

"Hello you two, either of you wouldn't happen to know where Mirana is?" Chess purred adding a bit of mischief to his voice.

"Oi! What are ye doin' with the Hatta's hat?" Mally asked walking closer to the feline.

"Tarrant _gave_ it to me." Chessur said to the tiny door mouse not wanting to further elaborate on the subject.

"No he didn't! Give me 'is hat!" Mally said with more force trying to retrieve the hat from Chess.

"I most certainly will not do so. Tarrant gave it to me because he told me where he is going he will not need is." Chessur then smacked himself for letting to much slip from his mouth. Or was it not enough?

"Gimme it NOW!" Mally screamed as she threw her saucer at the hovering cat. Chessur evaded the attack by disappearing, but he left the hat behind.

Mally went to the hat and began to brush the wretched cat hair off of it when she realized it. The fabric on the hat began to grow dull. She had seen this before, but only once. All she knew is that she needed to get to Maromeal fast before it was too late.

Mally and the now coherent Thackery made it to the kingdom gates of Maromeal. The raced through the pristine halls when the met up with Mirana and her court.

"Hello my dear friends! It is so lovely to see you!" Mirana said with poise and grandeur as her eyes slowly fell upon the hat of her dear friend. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized what was beginning to happen to the hat. That was not a good sign, but she tried to remain composed.

"My dear court, would you please leave me to have a moment with my dear friends?" Mirana questioned properly without breaking her serene façade. The group left the Queen without a complaint.

"Follow me." Mirana said with a sense of urgency in her voice, but still with a collected undertone. Mally and Thackery followed the fair Queen to another room that was heavily guarded by the knights of White.

The door looked like an enormous bank vault that opened and locked in multiple forms and fashions. As the group entered the dimly lit room the large door closed with a loud clank! Once Mirana was sure the group did not have any nosey eavesdroppers she spoke.

"When did you get it?" Mirana asked with worry gracing her usual fluid and soft voice. The two were taken aback by her reaction, but remained solemn.

"Today." Mally answered simply looking at the now distraught Queen. She paced gently through the room that held many precious Underland antiques.

"Not to sound completely out of the loop ya, but wha' is goin' on?" Thackery asked scratching his ear with a perplexed look on his hare face.

Mirana laughed, but this was not a graceful reassuring laugh. This was a manic, dark laugh. She was angry, but she would not let Thackery know that because she was after all the 'Fair Queen.'

"I have seen this once before. Many years ago when the Horunvendush day ruled over our land I saw a hat like this. You know that our dear friend is a hatter, or shall I say _was_ a hatter." Mirana had to take a deep breath to regain her ability to speak. The soft sobs of her broken heart were caught in her throat.

"As I was saying. Tarrant's father Charles was also a milliner. He was just as raging mad with all the mercury that surrounded him. He was the one that taught Tarrant his trade you know. He was simply talented. When the Horunvendush Day came upon this fair land Charles died beneath the raging flames of the Jabberwockey. All that was left of him was his hat, but you see a milliner's hat is his life. When Charles Hightopp died his hat turned this dull color."

Mirana had to stop again. Tarrant the man she loved, the man she held nearest to her heart was dead. Then she realized it, the flare of color that lay on the dull colored hat. Mirana had to know for sure that he was or wasn't dead. She then walked brusquely through the room as she approached a small hand mirror.

She picked up the hat and then threw it through the small mirror. The hat floated in the black oblivion the mirror reflected. The mirror then tried to find a location, as the hat tired find a head to rest upon. There was no hat, there was no mess of red hair that the hat found, but the final spark of color on the hat died out.

Mirana dropped the mirror on the white tiled floor looking at the hat that fell out of it, and whispered.

"My dear friend, what has happened to you?"

**~.o.O.o.~**

Alice tried to breathe as she stood before the large double doors that would soon be opened. Her mother forced her into another one of those uncomfortable corsets. She was dressed in a gorgeous floor length gown, her wedding gown. She could not believe the idea she had. It was positively mad.

_Yes._ She thought. _But it's an idea….a crazy, mad, wonderful, idea._ Mrs. Kingsleigh walked up to her daughter as she wiped her face with a blue handkerchief.

"To think my youngest daughter to be wed! And to a Duke at that! How wonderful!" Mrs. Kingsleigh cooed at the thought.

Alice nodded at her delusional mother, and she was trying to be agreeable. She would not give her plan away. This time Alice would have a say in her life. The double doors then flooded open streaming the radiant sunlight on her ivory dress.

Alice walked down the long isle that sat ahead of her. All the heads of the wedding's spectators turned as they looked at the radiant lass. She saw William standing there waiting and all the poor girl could do was think of her Hatter. That's when she prayed.

_Dad, I don't know if you can hear me, but if you do I have one more impossible thing for you…._

The music ceased and the spectators faced the front once more. The wedding began as the priest opened with a prayer, and then he asked Alice. "Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

_I, Alice Kingsleigh, am running from my own wedding._

Alice looked out at the crowd that sat behind her. Her mother stood at the end of the isle looking at her daughter slightly encouraging her to say yes. They all looked at her expectantly, and that's when she saw the beautiful teapot that lay on a table on the distance. It glimmered like all the colors of her beautiful Hatter, and she could have sworn she saw a familiar feline's smile.

"No, I do not." Alice said turning to face the crowd. William tried to rationalize with the lass, but she would not have any of that. Mrs. Kingsleigh began to run up the isle fussing and raging toward her UNWOMANLY daughter.

Alice then tugged at the fabric that lay underneath the feet of her mother causing the older woman to trip.

"I will have order." Alice said smirking and pulling off the restricting shoes she was forced to wear. Many of the wedding's audience stood shocked, and the scene began to erupt with chaos.

"I'm sorry everyone! But I have a bigger Jabberwocky to slay!" Alice screamed as she saw the fluffy white tale of a familiar rabbit.


	10. Chapter 10: Orange Blossom

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

Chapter 10: Orange Blossom 

"_In London, love and scandal are considered the best sweeteners of tea."__  
><em>**_-_**_John Osborne_

**AN: My dear readers I cannot express the love I feel for you! You are all so very amazing!:) I hope this story completely throws you through a loop! Mwahahah! Please review, and feel free to check out my three other stories! If any of you have a request for a one-shot let me know! I am currently writing an HatterxAlice story entitled "I haven't the slightest clue."Review and Read my other stories?:)**

Alice ran through thick bushes, and puddles of mud to finally find the rabbit hole she missed so much. McTwisp had certainly not slowed his speed either. He just kept mumbling to himself, and he would shake as he ran.

The poor rabbit would mumble and mumble "Oh, so late! We are so very late!" Alice would just follow the anxious rabbit. She was quite perplexed though. What could she possibly be late for? Certainly not any sort of Gribling Day for she had already slain the Jabberwocky… But _what_? Alice continued to ponder with these confusing matter until McTwisp finally spoke.

"Down you go, my dear. OH! We are so very late!" He said shuffling nervously around the beautifully dressed young woman as he checked his pocket watch. Alice looked at the rabbit once more. She didn't understand how she was supposed to get _down_ the rabbit hole. The many times before she simply fell through, but she was choosing to leave this time, and more importantly why were they late?

"McTwisp, What are we late for?" Alice said bending down to reach eye level with the anxious rabbit.

"My dear girl, the Dark Day. It has come quicker than we thought." McTwisp said as a dismal look flooded his furry features, and then he pushed the girl down the rabbit hole.

The Dark Days? Alice thought as she once again fell down the rabbit hole. The feeling of falling was uncanny, but perhaps the real eerie feeling as received was from McTwisp. There was something in his eyes that transferred fear itself, and whatever the _dark days _ were she knew they were not to be played with.

Instead busting through the quaint, and tiled little room of the Underland doors, Alice ended up in a dark forest area she was very unfamiliar with. She could plainly tell that she was in Underland, but the real question was _where_ in Underland? Noises from the surrounding trees loudly echoed as the creatures within this forest moved, and moaned.

Alice tried to gain a heading to move quickly in her journey, but direction was not in her favor. However, luck seemed to want to give the girl a fighting chance. That is when Alice saw the familiar eyes of her friendly feline.

"Hello my dear…" Chessur purred as he floated above the bonnie lass. She looked at him for a second thinking she was beginning to hallucinate, but quickly shaking the thought from her head she followed the cat.

"Chessur...Where are we?" Alice asked positively perplexed about her current location. She knew what most of Underland looked like, but this location was new to her.

"My Dear, We are in Witzend." The feline smiled as he floated forward in the dimly lit forest, but that vague answer did not satisfy the poor girl.

"Witzend?" Alice asked trying to make some sort of sense from the vague answer the cat gave her.

"My dear girl, Witzend was where your Hatter was born." He said with his rather large smile diminishing from his whiskered face.

Alice proceeded to ask more when a clearing opened the once dense forest. Most of the buildings or what looked like buildings have been over taken by weeds and ash. The scorch marks of the unforgiving Jabberwocky marked the grounds, and made rubble of once quaint houses and shops.

The two travelers made their way through the town slowly making their way to the end when Alice saw it. There was one tiny sign that had fallen from its attack from many years ago. The paint has since then chipped, and the wood is scratched, but Alice could read it.

_The Hightopp Hattery_

Alice gasped as she read the sign. She saw what was left of the poor little building that once held her dearest love. She continued to walk trying to keep tears from leaving her eyes because she would need her muchness when she talked to Tarrant. TARRANT!

"That reminds me! How is my lovely Hatter?" Alice questioned he traveling companion that had been rather quiet through the nostalgic endeavor. She looked up at her dear friend, and all he could muster was a frown.

Alice went to question his choice in response when she tripped over a rather round rock. She went to take a look at the rock when she found that the rock wasn't a rock at all, but a teapot. Alice giggled to herself because only in Underland would she find a teapot in the middle of the woods. She picked up the teapot to further examine it when she realized what it was. It was the teapot she gave _him_.

"Chessur? How is Tarrant?" Alice asked as she rose to her feet and continued to walk focusing on the teapot in her delicate hands. When the feline failed to produce a response that's when Alice removed her attention from the teapot to the scene in front of her. There it was! The lovely tea table that held so many precious memories.

Alice did not care about anything else in that moment. She did not hear the pleads of the feline behind her as she ran. She did not see the solemn faces of her dear friends Mally and Thackery because all she wanted to see was her dear Hatter. She did not hear that all of her friends were telling her to run…

"Run?" Alice questioned looking at the door mouse with a furrowed brow, but before her body could compute the suggestion she was shackled. She looked around to see the horsemen that stood around her. How she missed the before she did not know, but she was no in chains.

She could see her dear friends were dressed in black, and the tea table's décor also matched the gothic outfits of her companions. She saw all the knights that surrounded her were wearing black, and then the leading knight spoke.

"Alice Kingsleigh, by the power vested in the Fair Queen of White. You are now sentenced to execution for the murder of Tarrant Hightopp of Witzend. May the death of such an individual not go unnoticed! Long Live the Fair Queen!" The knight read off a scroll as he mounted his horse. The other knights followed suit saying "Long Live the Fair Queen!"

Alice stood there shackled, but all she could wrap her mind around was the fact that he was dead. She loved him! He told her he loved her! How could he possibly be dead? She stood with her mouth agape, and the only thing she could muster.

"Dead?"


	11. Chapter 11: Black China Tea

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

Chapter 11: China Black Tea

"_Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things."__  
><em>**_-_**_Chaim Potok_

**AN: Okay this is the last chapter, and then I have an epilogue for y'all! Please take a look at my other fanfictions, and review this chappie please? Much Love!**

Dead? She could not fathom anything that was going on in her head. The knight told her that he was dead? And more importantly that she was the reason that he was dead? How could she do that? Alice loved her dear Hatter why would she kill him? _No this was silly_ she thought.

_I am dreaming! Yes, that's it! This is all a dream! I will simply pinch myself and Tarrant would be fine! So happy making his hats, and giving her various riddles!_ Alice pinched herself to try to awaken herself from this terrible dream, but she could not do so. She pinched and pinched but to no avail she still sat in the terrible cobblestone dungeon of Maromeal.

It was dark and musky, but Alice was not afraid maybe because she knew he would come for her. Or maybe she knew the pain would soon be over, but whatever it was she knew everything would be okay. She had been in the dungeon for countless day awaiting the terrible fate that mocked her. It snicked in her face telling her _how dare she love, how dare she make a fool out of fate_, and now fate would make a fool out of her.

Many people had come by to pay their respects to the soon dead lass. All of Alice's friend came, McTwisp, Mally, Thackey, they all wanted to tell her they loved her. Oh how she wanted to see Tarrant, but the only thing that awaited her was a sharpened blade.

Alice sat on the cold floor of her stony prison the fourth or fifth day she was held captive a knight came to greet her.

"Rise." The knight said to the lass as she stood in the wedding dress that was in tatters and marked by the black ground. Alice did as she was commanded and the knight opened the iron wrought door. Alice followed the knight into a wide opened arena filled with spectators.

There it stood. _Fate_ that is. With a dark black hood and a knife that could scare even the darkest creatures of the Tugley Wood. Alice was brought up the steps onto the platform where fate would have its last hurrah.

"Alice Kingsleigh." The Whit Queen addressed the lass as she stood with her hand shackled behind her back. Alice looked up to the Queen to see her sitting there. She donned a black dress that looked as though it could envelope an entire village. Her eyes lay dully upon the girl, the _Champion_, that stood in front of her. Mirana was ready to do it, she was ready to kill this girl. To give her what she deserved for killing Tarrant. Death itself.

"You have been charged with the murder of Tarrant Hightopp of Witzend. Do you accept these charges?" Mirana asked as she looked at the young girl once again.

Alice went to speak when the whole crowd came to her defense. Many of the people booed the accusations as well as her friends. The all knew she was innocent.

"SCILENCE!" Mirana screamed trying to get the crowd back into order. Many people gasped at the Queen's quick change of mood, and the crowd immediately fell into a state of obedience.

"You are found guilty, and so you shall face the gallows for the death of such a man. May God have mercy on your soul." Mirana said dismissively as she made one swift motion with her hand. The exclusionists knew what to do. He would simply swing the heavy, sharp blade against the lass' throat.

She knew it would only hurt for a second so Alice closed her eyes and began to pray. She asked God to forgive her, but more importantly for Tarrant to forgive her. Fate began to swing the blade up cutting the air as it swung, and the blade began to come down.

"Wait." Was the familiar voice Alice Kingsleigh heard.


	12. Chapter 12: Epilogue

**The Tumultuous Teapot of Tarrant Hightopp**

Epilogue

"_Nothing really has the comfort that tea does._" –Unknown

She sat up slowly in the softly lit room, and pulled the delicate sheets off her body. The door awaited her gentle touch as she turned the knob softly. The blonde tresses she donned bounced every so softly as she found her way outside the holding place she once was bound.

The blonde looked outside as the radiant sun greeted her with grandeur and happiness. She looked across the meadow as she saw him. He sat in the lush meadow looking at all the colors that lay before him waiting to be captured in his mad mind. She smiled to herself knowing of all the thoughts the rush into and through his brain. Then his vibrant green eyes slowly met her soft blue ones.

There wasn't a need for words they both knew everything they needed to say wouldn't do them justice. They just ran to each other and for the first time took in everything. She smelled him and knew he would smell just like the dye that he used to make hat. He looked at her soft golden hair that would look just as amazing under a beautiful hat. They shared that moment of bliss that they both needed. Their embrace felt like eternity, but it did not last long enough for the lass.

The blonde frowned ever so slightly as she was released from her one true love. He smiled slightly at her face of discontent. They looked into each other eyes longingly as they shared a look that said one thing and yet so many things as the same time. The leaned in and shared the kiss that was waited for so long. She looked into his eyes to see the love she felt in his kiss. But as she held his milky face in her ivory hands he began not fade, but just before he did he put a letter in her delicate hands. She opened it to read: _Where roses may be red and violets blue, I shall forever love you my lady of blue._ And then her dear love faded away.

Alice Kingsleigh's eyes then fluttered open.

**~.o.O.o.~**

The White Queen sat in her chambers alone, and she knew what her sister had done. Long ago their father had warned them told them "do not mess with the powers of darkness." Her sister had done it effectively possessed Mirana, and had her _almost_ kill the Champion. All of Maromeal better watch because a new hero must arise, and take its place. Or otherwise Maromeal is doomed.

Sequel Coming soon!:)

**AN: Make sure to read my other fics because I am really working hard on them! Also yes, you did read right there is a sequel. Review? Much Love, MJ**


	13. The Day has come!

Dear Readers, the sequel of my story will be out today! Go ahead and read/review it up!;D Its name is the The Manic Melancholy of Mundane Marmoreal! It will answer all of those pondersome questions!;)


	14. It is up!

The New Story is up everyone! Feel free to check it out! Also review or I will love you less.;)


End file.
